Blame

London-born Conrad Shafie grew up in north London before moving with his family to Luton, where he began making music as a teenager. Blame grew up listening to electro and hip hop, and Justice’s invitation to a recording studio helped turn his interest towards production. The pair began making music together and later recorded as Icons. Shafie studied graphic design and worked in the field before committing to music full time. At 17, he made his first solo production, “Music Takes You”, in a community recording studio; Moving Shadow released it in 1991, and it became an important early track in his career.

Blame founded the drum-and-bass label 720 Degrees in 1997, the same year Icons released the album Emotions with Intellect. Its approach drew on sampling, breakbeats and swing, with the duo experimenting with how those elements could work together. Blame also released music on Good Looking Records, before later credits on Metalheadz, Hospital, Charge, Newstate and V Recordings. His work with Good Looking extended to mixing the compilations Logical Progression 2 and Progression Sessions 2; he also toured internationally with LTJ Bukem.

Blame’s later releases include the 2010 album The Music, featuring vocal contributions from Selah, Tinchy Stryder, Jocelyn Brown and Dynamite MC. He released the single “Because of You” with vocals by Selah, and formed Social Misfits with DJ Concrete. His remix credits include Michael Jackson’s “I Want You Back”, Robin S’s “Show Me Love” and Raze’s “Break 4 Love”. Blame has also described “Stay Forever” as a turning point that renewed his commitment to making music.

After finding old DAT tapes containing unreleased material, Blame identified “Lift Off” and “Star Traveller” among the tracks. His later releases include the EP Between Worlds and the album Into the Void. In 2021, he released the single “Hindsight (DJ Marky Remix)” on Hospital Records with DJ Marky, followed by the single “Big Grey Wolf / Liquid Electricity” on Violet Nights Recordings with Chippie and Seba.